Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Are we responsible for trimming the tree?

3 replies

lastminutewednesday · 28/06/2023 20:44

We are about to move out of a rental property and the landlady has been round today and gone ballistic because the only plant in the garden- a black sambuca-which was there when we moved in-has grown in the 9 months we have lived there, and she is demanding we pay for it to be lopped. It's in no way damaging/impeding the house and is a normal size-it's not outlandish in anyway but has obviously grown since we lived there a regular amount.

If it were my house I wouldn't be lopping it. It looks really nice tbh. It sits in the corner of the yard, which is otherwise paving and horrible Astro turf, not doing anyone any harm.

It doesn't mention the necessity to keep the tree to a certain size in our tenancy agreement.

Are we on the hook for getting it professionally trimmed to her taste (but not for any necessity) , or should she just accept that if she plants something that has the potential to grow, then that's what it will do?

I haven't gone back to her yet, (and my opinion might be coloured by how needlessly arsey she was-we aren't doing a flit-we have another month on our lease and time to do any works that are needed/clean etc) but I can't work out if it's reasonable to ask us to do this or if she's trying it on a bit?

OP posts:
greenacrylicpaint · 28/06/2023 20:47

your ll would be laughed out of the deposit scheme.

WeAreTheHeroes · 28/06/2023 20:54

She's an idiot. Ask her where it states in your tenancy that you should do that. It doesn't. Strikes me she was looking for something she could charge you for as she'd like to keep your deposit. Tell her to jog on. Any landlord who is particularly bothered about a garden should pay for a gardening service.

Treecreature · 28/06/2023 21:04

They grow very quickly and respond extremely well to pruning. You could belt it off at ground level in winter and have a 8-10 foot plant in summer. Treat with caution, don't get yourself stuck in a cycle of repetitive costs.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page